Abstract Expressionism

More about the book

Abstract expressionism emerged in the 1940s in America, influenced by Arshile Gorky's innovative work. This movement, the first from the Americas to gain global influence, gave rise to two distinct sub-categories: action painting, represented by artists like Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, and color field painting, popularized by Mark Rothko. Abstract expressionists aimed to convey emotions and ideas directly on canvas through color, form, and texture, embracing accident and chance while celebrating the act of painting itself. Featured artists include William Baziotes, Helen Frankenthaler, Adolph Gottlieb, Philip Guston, Hans Hofmann, Franz Kline, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Robert Motherwell, Barnett Newman, Ad Reinhardt, David Smith, and others. Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Genre Series offers a detailed illustrated introduction, a timeline of significant political, cultural, and social events, and a selection of key works from the era. Each artwork is presented on a 2-page spread with a full-page image, interpretation, and a brief biography of the artist, complemented by approximately 100 color illustrations with explanatory captions.